Floodplain variance approved for fire-damaged Taylorsville home

TAYLORSVILLE, Ind. — A local homeowner has received approval from the Bartholomew County Board of Zoning Appeals to repair and restore a fire-damaged residence located within a designated floodplain.

The Petitioner submitted request BZA 26-74 seeking a floodplain variance to rebuild a primary residence at Charles St. in Taylorsville. The existing Bedford stone home sustained extensive fire damage and has a finished floor elevation 2.9 feet below the flood protection grade.

During the public hearing, neighboring residents spoke in favor of the petition, noting that requiring the existing stone structure to be elevated would cause extreme financial hardship and harm neighborhood character. Board members agreed that restoring the pre-existing nonconforming home would preserve local property values better than leaving the structure dilapidated.

The board voted to approve the variance with the explicit condition that the approval applies strictly to the existing footprint, living floor elevation, and structural frame.

For details on floodplain building requirements in Bartholomew County, visit the county planning department's website.